Kids, Porn and Politics [and Public Libraries and Voters]

The Oregonian ^ | September 10, 2006 | David Reinhard, Assoc. Ed.

[Question_Assumptions]

OK. Thank you. You say you don't think children should be exposed to hardcore pornography. Now, do you support blocking or banning the viewing of hardcore pornography on public library computers? If not, then how specifically do you suggest parents prevent their children from being exposed to hardcore pornography at the library short of not going to the library? If you can't come up with a one-size-fits-all tactic, feel free to give a few hypothetical examples, instead. Don't simply say, "Be a good parent." What does that mean to you?

[Question_Assumptions]

If that's the case, then you should notify the moderators.

[Hong Kong Expat]

You sir are the McKing!!!

[SteveMcKing]

Perhaps I will.

[Jeff Gordon]

"Be a good parent."

I know it is a tought concept for many people but that does not make it invalid. Think back to your parents. How did they install values in you?

[Jeff Gordon]

since this thread is the work of a scam artist

That being the case, further posting in this thread can only support the scam artist.

Over and out.

[dsc]

How nice for our resident pornographers that they found an excuse to run away.

A bogus excuse, but then, any old port in a storm.

[Jeff Gordon]

How nice for our resident pornographers that they found an excuse to run away.

Let me get this straight. You are publicly accusing me of being a pornographer? If so, have the guts to say it directly. If not, STFU!

[freedumb2003]

"Every child should be flood safe."

The adults, on the other hand...

[Question_Assumptions]

Perhaps I will.

If you think you've got a case, go for it.

[Question_Assumptions]

I know it is a tought concept for many people but that does not make it invalid. Think back to your parents. How did they install values in you?

You are mixing apples and oranges unless you think the solution to preventing children from seeing porn can be given to them as values. I don't think it has anything to do with values. I think it has to do with walking across the room in a public library and seeing a computer screen in front of you filled with a pornographic image. You seem to agree that it's not good for children not to see hardcore pornography. How do values prevent children from seeing something right in front of their noses via values? Its like sitting in your living room watching hard core pornography and expecting your children to avert their eyes and cover their ears. Do you think that's realistic?

[Question_Assumptions]

Just bear in mind that I do find the idea of libertarians running to the government a bit ironic.

[plan2succeed.org]

You said, "my wife had to deal with bestiality pictures coming off of the printer in the college computer lab where she worked when we were in college...."

First, if you wish, please write me your story and I will try to fit it in on my group's web site somewhere. People have to speak out about these things.

Second, if you wish, unless it's too late, you could sue for damages. It has been done before and the library settled for a large amount of money just to keep the case from becoming a precedent that could have protected people like your wife. You see, children are not our only concern. Librarians often suffer from the problems just as you described.

Here, read these:

• Library to Filter Online Porn; Ramsey County Acts After Weighing Access Vs. Problems, 17 Mar 2006.
• Librarians Settle Porn Case - The Minneapolis Library Agrees to Pay 12 Employees $435,000, and it Promises to Revamp Internet Policies, 16 Aug 2003.

[dsc]

"Let me get this straight. You are publicly accusing me of being a pornographer? If so, have the guts to say it directly. If not, STFU!"

Gee, I wish we were FTF.

Yeah, in that you resist efforts to regulate or ban pornography, you enable and support it, and that makes you a pornographer even if you don't actually produce it.

Own the results of your own conduct. If you enable it, you did it.

[Jeff Gordon]

Gee, I wish we were FTF.

Good idea!

\you resist efforts to regulate or ban pornography, you enable and support it, and that makes you a pornographer

I respect your timid back step. It is cute.

BTW, I do not resist efforts to regulate pornography. I just laugh at you guys.

[Question_Assumptions]

The example I gave was well over a decade ago, was in a university environment (no children), no children were endangered, and my wife discarded the offending picture. I simply offered it as an example of the sort of pornography that people are willing to expose others to in a public environment. I think a lot of people imagine the airbrushed pin-ups of the 1950s when there is far harder and darker stuff available since the Clinton administration stopped prosecuting obscenity. You can find out details on how bad it gets in this Frontline episode (you can actually watch it online):

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/porn/

Lots of information on the web site, too. Note that the program is very rough and not for children. It discusses, among other things, the Frontline crew attending a pornography filming so disturbing the the Frontline crew felt they had to leave.

[plan2succeed.org]

Thanks. I can imagine so I'm not going beyond the title page. My focus, however, is the ALA. Pornographers and pornography is not my interest, unless they are the ALA's leaders pushing such books on children despite US v. ALA and community standards. For example, see Porn Pushers - The ALA and Looking For Alaska - One Example of How the ALA Pushes Porn On Children.

[dsc]

./"I respect your timid back step. It is cute."

You do need to learn some respect, but that's neither timid nor a backstep. It is merely an explication of what was the obvious meaning of my initial statement.

"I do not resist efforts to regulate pornography. I just laugh at you guys."

Precisely. You support and advocate evil.

[FrankySwanky]

A ten year old saw a naked lady!!!!! Panic NOW!!!!!!

[dsc]

"A ten year old saw a naked lady!!!!!"

No, a ten year old saw a video of one man blowing another, or a man slapping a woman around during "rough sex," complete with closeups of the genitals, or any one of a number of things a ten year old shouldn't have to deal with.

"Panic NOW!!!!!!"

Be outraged now.